“Hands off my food!” you say, when I suggest that you can
trim an extra 5% off your grocery and meal costs. Yet, those savings can be so subtle that you
hardly will notice the difference.
I have a penchant for lists, it seems, and the process of
“going lean” on your meals requires another list, or, at least, a record. But it is simple. All you need to do is to compile a total cost
for your in-home meals, and a total cost for your dining out costs, for a
period of six months. This can be done
easily, if you always pay for these items with credit or debit cards. I recommend two subtotals (one for each
section) and an overall combined total.
Divide by six to get your typical monthly costs for in-home food items
and dining out events (including alcohol). Your target costs will be 5% less
than the total average. Some months, you
may exceed slightly, but by closely monitoring every cost, you can compensate
in other months.
The first series of suggestions focuses upon away-from-home
meals.
When ordering alcohol (either at a lounge, restaurant or for
a social evening at a friend’s home), alternate between an alcoholic and a
non-alcoholic beverage. At a typical cost
of $4-7 per alcoholic drink ($2-3 for non-alcoholic), four drinks per evening,
one evening per week out, you will saving $48 per month. To save an additional $3-4 per week, consider
having your first alcoholic drink at home, instead of at the event.
By eliminating one meal away from home per month, you will
save $40-50 per couple. Instead of
always dining at fancy restaurants, mix a fast food place into the mix. Sometimes, these meals can even be less
expensive than eating at home. Drop one
cup of exotic (or regular) coffee from your purchases each week, or substitute
one regular coffee for the usual latte.
Many restaurants and entertainment venues offer discounts of
10-15% for groups of 10 or more, so party with larger groups of friends
occasionally, and arrange, in advance, for the group discount. Use coupons and specials frequently.
The second series of recommendations evaluates ways to
adjust your food buying habits to cut costs.
Consider buying on Mondays. These are slower days, and
often, culled produce or meats are available at great discounts, yet still are
fresh. Saturday evenings see the array
of grocery items depleted, but there may be great deals available, too. Buy products that are in season. This does not just apply to produce. Turkey, ham and fish all have better pricing
at specific times of the year. Produce
can be frozen and stored for several months, if prepared properly. During the off season, frozen vegetables and
canned vegetables generally offer the best prices.
While there is no doubt that “buying local” offers great
benefit to area producers, there is some doubt as to whether the policy is
financially beneficial to consumers.
Certainly, mass-produced products are less expensive per unit, but there
is an abundance of evidence that there are losses in nutrition benefits in many cases. The prevalence of contaminated food recalls
attests to the risk of “assembly line” food production. If you opt to cut costs here, be certain that
you know the tradeoffs involved.
Bulk buying and participating in buying groups or
cooperatives is a common strategy for cutting costs, but these options are not
always available to urban residents.
Instead, look to buying multiples of items when those multiple unit
purchases result in savings. A corollary
to this principle, though, is the need for caution when buying “family size”
units, versus smaller sizes. Many times,
the 3-pound tub of margarine, for example, is more costly per unit than 1-pound
tubs. Comparing toilet tissue purchases
is even more difficult, since single versus double rolls, or 12 versus fifteen
rolls per pack do not give accurate means for evaluating value. Each manufacturer puts different numbers of
sheets per roll in their product, making apple-to-apple comparisons tough to do
“on the fly.” Even more confusing is
that each sheet is a different size, or may be one, two or three ply. Watch
cost per unit, and know specifically what each unit may be.
Now, I move to suggestions for trimming costs at home.
Start by cutting back on serving size. I used to use one chicken filet per meal,
regardless of the size. Before long, I
found that one-half a medium filet was adequate, and any trimmings left over
could be used in stir frys. Then, I consumed only one half a baked potato at
each dinner, instead of a whole one. A
half cup of vegetables is sufficient for the average person, instead of a full
cup. The list goes on. At breakfast, for example, substitute a half
slice of whole wheat toast for the usual full slice of white toast, and feel
just as full.
Substitute one of your large afternoon snacks for two small
ones, consisting of a handful of nuts and a piece of fruit, instead of a
pastry, specialty coffee and another side dish. Cut your home coffee costs by
saving excess prepared coffee and storing it in the refrigerator. Use a reusable coffee k-cup (Keurig brand
name), instead of the throwaway one-coffee unit. Bring your own snacks to work,
and save money, in addition to enjoying snacks that are not readily available
on the job.
Prepare many meals in advance, and freeze them. Use culled fruit and overripe bananas for
baking, or in composite desserts. These
produce items often are available at 75% off regular prices.
While this discussion of how to trim 5% from your food
budget is far from exhaustive, it provides a very workable guide to saving
money. And where can this money be
directed? Anywhere you choose, from
holidays to charitable giving. Even
though your food expenditures still will provide you with filling and nutritious
meals, the ability to direct another 5-10% of your budget to worthwhile areas
will prove to be fulfilling, instead of just filling!
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